Animoto, a service that animates users' photos and music into video clips that can be embedded and shared all over the Web, has today unveiled another dimension to its model. Called Animoto for Business, it allows large enterprise corporations and small-sized operations alike to create videos from still media and audio clips to be implemented and distributed for commercial use. Animoto’s intention for this new launch is to target businesses who would otherwise consult with high-cost video producers to build desired promotional material.
While Animoto for Business functions much the same way the company’s standard service performs, it allows subscribers access to commercially licensed music, limitless “DVD-quality video downloads,” and well as the appropriate minimization of Animoto branding. A three-month account of the service is $99; a year’s use carries a cost of $249.
The consumer-focused service provided by Animoto will of course carry many more users, given that many of its components are free to use. (The recent introduction of DVD-quality downloads, as well as orders for physical video media, are an exception, and carry costs of $5/$20 per clip/disc.)
Still, the New York-based video producer lists several initial users of the new business-level service, including Getty Images, Social Gaming Network, and Smartsheet. The Indianapolis Star newspaper, the Seattle-based restaurant Canlis, Ross Andrew Winery, among others, are also listed as launch partners.